


Co-workers and Christmas Secrets

by lenapinewoods



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 12:23:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18873142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lenapinewoods/pseuds/lenapinewoods
Summary: Draco is forced to play Secret Santa with his co-workers.





	Co-workers and Christmas Secrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kiertorata](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiertorata/gifts).



> Written for the winter holidays 2017, posted originally on [LJ](https://lenapinewoods.livejournal.com/604.html).
> 
> Happy Holidays Kiertorata! <3 I really hope you like this one, I had fun writing it! It includes Christmas elements, Slytherin friendships, party games, and characters being oblivious/in denial (depends how you look at it I guess). I tried to add some humour too, you'll judge how well I did :D I don't want to spoil it too much but it's sort of inspired by something that happened to me, you'll see. I'm also so sorry I'm posting this after Christmas, but I did spend most of the Christmas day sitting in the kitchen in my bathrobe finishing this (and is there a better way to spend your Christmas than with Drarry?) I also want to thank M for the constructive feedback and Rizzy, Lady M and Elena Gray for betaing this on a very short notice (and on the Christmas day!).

**Part 1.**

Draco Malfoy could’ve come up with a hundred and one things he would rather be doing, yet here he was, playing the stupid game of Secret Santa with his co-workers. Or starting to play it, that was. It had been Alicia Spinnet’s idea. She had said that it would “improve the office team spirit” and of course Shacklebolt had been into it, because he had a thing for Alicia. Actually, Draco had a feeling his boss had a thing for everyone except for Draco. But especially for Alicia. And, of course, for that prick, Potter. But, then again, Potter was everyone’s favourite. 

Things had been awkward ever since they had both started an internship in the Auror Department at the same time last September. Draco had completed his training in France, so he hadn’t had to deal with Potter until then, and now he was forced to see him every day at the office. Draco felt like Potter deliberately got in his way as often as possible, probably just to annoy him. Occassionally, Draco even caught Potter staring at him. Draco felt like he was up to something but he just didn’t know what it was. 

They had all gathered into the conference room, the entire deparment was there. Alicia Spinnet was explaining the rules of Secret Santa. Draco looked around. Potter wasn’t there yet. He scanned the room twice, just to be sure. No sign of Potter. Of course he was late. Typical Potter, always so full of himself, probably planning on making an entrance… He was probably doing something incredibly stupid that would later turn out to be incredibly heroic. Well, better for Draco; maybe Shacklebolt would, for once, pay attention to him now that Potter wasn’t around…

“So I’ve put everyone’s names in this enchanted stocking here and now I’ll call you by name one by one. Once you hear your name you can come up, put your hand into the stocking and pull out somebody’s name. That is the person you’re going to buy a Christmas present for. The stocking takes into account your wishes, so if you have someone special in mind, you might get lucky,” Alicia said with a wink. Everyone laughed approvingly. Draco frowned. People actually seemed to be enjoying this. 

_Well, at least I won’t get that git Potter_ , Draco thought to himself. _That self-centred prat is the last person I have in mind…_

Draco heard laughter behind him and turned to see that Potter had finally arrived. He was standing by the door with Cho Chang, chuckling loudly at something she had just said. She didn’t even work in the Auror Department. What was she doing here? Draco remembered suddenly that Potter had had a thing with the Chang girl back in Hogwarts… They had sat together at Madam Puddifoot’s once, he had seen them through the window… Draco wondered if there was still something going on between those two. 

Suddenly, Potter turned his head and looked straight at Draco. He had a strange, mischievous looking smile on his face – was he making fun of Draco? Irritated, Draco turned away. He wouldn’t let Potter get under his skin, no matter how hard he tried.

“And next, Draco Malfoy!” Alicia’s bright voice exclaimed.

Draco walked to Alicia and reluctantly shoved his hand into the stocking. He felt the warm magic tingle his hand and his fingers twisted around a piece of paper. He waited until he was back at his desk before he unfolded the paper. 

In big bold letters it said: **HARRY POTTER**.

 

**Part 2.**

“…and out of all the people in the Department, I end up with him! Can you believe it? The stocking was supposed to consider my wishes! And I _definitely_ have no desire to give anything to _Potter_. It amazes me how Spinnet has managed to complete the Auror training, if she can’t even get a simple enchantment like that right…”

“She probably slept with Shacklebolt,” Pansy said matter-of-factly. It was Saturday and they were sitting in a classy muggle bistro Pansy had found last spring. It was on the top floor of a tall building located near the Ministry and if you sat on a window table – like they always did – you could see over the whole of London. 

Draco sighed and rested his cheek on his hand. Beyond the window, there was foggy London, and grey walls and grey roof tops as far as the eye could see. 

“What am I going to give to him?” Draco whined. 

“What does he want?” Pansy said. She was eyeing the dessert menu and didn’t seem nearly as concerned about Draco’s situation as he had hoped. 

“I don’t know. I only found out yesterday. We’re supposed to write wish lists for our Secret Santas during the weekend and give them out on Monday.” 

“Well, you have plenty of time. You’re supposed to get the gifts by Christmas Eve, right?”

“Yeah, we share the gifts and reveal the whole thing on Christmas Eve before everyone goes on holiday,” Draco said. “I’ll have a Peppermint Mocha,” he added to the waiter who had arrived at their table. 

“A cappuccino with two shots, please, and a slice of Angel Cake,” Pansy ordered, and turning back to Draco, she continued, “I wonder who got you. What are you going to wish for?” 

“I have no idea, but I expect to get something redundant. It’s just a stupid work place game, anyway. No one ever gets anything spectacular out of those.” 

 

**Part 3.**

Draco stared at the list on the wall in front of him. It was Monday afternoon at the office and they had just revealed what everybody wished from their Secret Santa. Alicia had gathered everyone’s wishes in the morning, combined them into a list, and pinned it to the wall. Everyone’s names were there in alphabetical order and under every name was written what each person wished to receive. Most people’s wishes were dull, but easy to fulfill: Honeyduke’s nougat for Kingley Shacklebolt, Fudge Flies for Ron Weasley, a pair of Self-Warming Socks for Nymphadora Tonks. Harry Potter’s wish was incomprehensible. Draco read it again. Under Harry Potter it said, “ _A Game Boy. (Joking, just get me anything!)_ ” Draco frowned, frustrated. What the hell was a Game Boy? Some sort of male escort? Did Potter want sexual services as his Christmas present? Sexual services… from a man? He imagined Potter naked on a chair with a man kneeled in front of him… Potter’s lips slightly parted and his eyes closed, his cheeks flushed… the man’s hand wrapped around Potter’s hard cock, bringing it closer to his mouth… 

Draco felt a twist in his stomach, a weird twist he couldn’t really interpret, and to his surprise, a throb in his pants. He shook his head, feeling a little dizzy. Surely Potter’s wish wasn’t anything sexual. Even Potter wasn’t that weird. Maybe it was a Muggle thing? Delighted at this sudden realization, Draco turned around, looking for the nearest Muggle-born he could ask about it – only to realize that he couldn’t ask anyone in the Auror Department without revealing that he was Potter’s Secret Santa. Draco tried to think of a Muggle-born he was on good terms with, someone who was willing to help and who preferably was friends with Potter. 

He couldn’t come up with anyone. 

For a few seconds, he considered going to Hermione Granger, because for some inexplicable reason she didn’t hate him (although she probably had every reason to), but then he thought of her smug face when she’d have an occasion to explain things to him – and decided that it wasn’t worth it. 

On his way out to lunch, he almost crashed into Colin Creevey, who was coming out of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. Draco remembered Colin from Hogwarts, but didn’t really know anything else about his life other than that he had recently started an apprentiship as a writer and a photographer for the _Prophet_. Colin was holding a pile of notes, along with his camera. He wasn’t looking forward, because he was talking to someone behind him. 

“Yeah, I think I can do with these. Thanks, everybody! The report of the incident will be published tomorrow,” he said, as he let the door slam shut behind him. He turned around and Draco slowed down his steps right before he would’ve bumped into the man, avoiding the collision. Colin stopped abruptly as well. As Draco stared at the younger man in front of him, he suddenly realized something. 

“Hey, Creevey,” Draco said. 

“Draco Malfoy,” Colin said dryly.

“You know Potter, don’t you,” Draco said. It was more of a statement than a question. “And you’re Muggle born.”

“Yeah, I do. And, yes, I am. Why?” Colin said, looking at Draco suspiciously.

“I need your help,” Draco said, putting on his most charming smile. “I mean, I know you two are such good friends,” he added and saw that his words had the effect he had hoped for. Colin was obviously very pleased to hear that Draco considered him to be good friends with Harry Potter. “I need to get Potter – Harry – a present. A Christmas present. We’re playing Secret Santa at the office,” he added, when Colin didn’t look convinced. “And since you know Harry so well, I thought you might be able to help me. I want to get him something he really likes.” 

“Of course, I can help you with that,” Colin said, smiling proudly. “What did you have in mind?” 

Draco explained what Potter wanted according to his wish list. “Do you know what it is?” he asked. To his surprise, Colin burst into laughter. 

“Of course I know! It’s a Muggle thing. A toy for children.” 

“Why would Potter want a children’s toy?” Draco asked, annoyed because he felt like he was being left out of the joke and that Colin was laughing at him. 

“Well, I don’t know if you know this, but Harry had a miserable childhood. His aunt and uncle hated him and all he ever got as a present was leftovers from his cousin. A Game Boy was a hit when Harry and I were kids, I mean before we knew we were wizards. All the Muggle children wanted to have a Game Boy. Harry’s cousin got one, and Harry really wanted one, too, but he never got it. So, I guess that’s why he wants one now.”

“How do you know all this?” Draco asked, a little abashed after learning so many intimate details about Potter so suddenly. He certainly wouldn’t have revealed such details about Potter – any of his close friends, he meant – to someone he barely knew. 

“He told me,” Colin shrugged. 

Draco pondered a while what he had just heard. Then he asked, “So… Where can I get this Game Boy? Is there like a Muggle shop you can take me to?” 

Colin chuckled. “C’mon. I’ll show you what eBay is.”

 

**Part 4.**

“It still hasn’t arrived! Why hasn’t it arrived?” Draco walked around his penthouse apartment and kept glacing out of the window as if he expected to see an owl fly in any minute. It was the 22nd of December, two days until he was supposed to give his gift to Potter, and fifteen days since he had ordered the present using Colin’s strange Muggle machine. “They promised it would arrive in a week! Why is Muggle mail so slow? Did it get lost or something?” 

“I really don’t know, Draco, and I also don’t understand why you care so much.” Pansy said with a sigh. She was resting on Draco’s black leather couch, applying Circe’s Skin Serum ( _a magical serum that will make your skin radiant and silky smooth!_ ) on her face. “Why didn’t you just get him chocolate, or something? Why are you so obsessed with it?” 

“I’m not,” Draco protested. “I mean, I just want to do this right so that I’ll look good in Shacklebolt’s eyes. You know he adores Potter.”

Pansy gave him a pensive look but didn’t insist on the matter. “Maybe you should ask your new best friend,” she sneered instead. “Creevey must know everything about the obstacles facing Muggle mail delivery.” 

Draco gave Pansy an annoyed glare, but was actually thinking along the same lines. He probably didn’t have another option but to ask Creevey to help him again. Later that evening, when Pansy had left, Draco sat down and wrote Colin Creevey a note: _Please meet me at my desk tomorrow morning as soon as you’re able._ As Draco watched his owl fly out of the window and disappear among the city lights of nocturnal London, he thought of ways he could blackmail Colin Creevey into never telling anyone about this. Thankfully, Creevey didn’t work for the _Prophet_ ’s gossip column. After all, it was unlikely he could get a story out of this for his section of crimes and catastrophes in the Wizarding world. 

 

**Part 5.**

When Draco arrived at the office the next morning, ten minutes late, and holding a steaming cup of black coffee, he thanked Merlin for the fact that Colin Creevey was either really stupid, incredibly benevolent or just simply intimidated by Draco. The man was already standing next to Draco’s desk, bent over, looking at something from his black Muggle machine that he had settled on Draco’s desk.

“I thought you said it didn’t work in the Ministry,” Draco pointed out, nodding at the machine when he got to Colin. “That the magic bothered it or something.” 

“Well, it took a senseless amount of setting up spells before I got it to work, but now I have access to the Internet even inside of the Ministry’s premises! I got some help from Hermione Granger, actually,” Colin said happily. “Of course, I had to take it through a few security clearances too, but once I said that it was for you, the guy working in the Department of Security was very willing to help. I think he was a former Slytherin? Tall guy, dark hair… Anyway, I already typed your email address here, so now you just have to write down your password so we can log you in…”

Draco gritted his teeth. This was just excellent. Now, in addition to Hermione Granger, an unidentified former Slytherin knew that he was getting help from Colin Creevey… this just couldn’t get any better. Or that’s what he thought until he heard a sarcastic voice behind him say, “That’s not seriously your email address, is it?” 

Draco turned around quickly and saw Harry Potter standing near him with an amused look. He was staring at the screen of Creevey’s machine where he had opened up the strange Muggle mail system that worked in the thing Colin called the Internet. Clearly visible in the middle of the screen was the email address Colin and Draco had created for Draco when they had ordered Potter’s present. In the email login information it said, _theblondpeacock@gmail.com_. 

“Colin told me to pick something funny,” Draco said defensively. What was bloody Potter doing sneaking behind him like that? Why was Potter here in the first place? 

“Couldn’t you just go with your name?” Harry said, his voice thick with suppressed laughter. “Why do you have an email address, anyway?” 

“It’s none of your business, Potter,” Draco snarled, although, technically, it was exactly Potter’s business. “Can’t you just leave me alone? What are you even doing here?”

Potter didn’t answer and when Draco glanced at him, he saw that Potter had a weird look on his face again. He was smiling the same kind of strange half-smile he had smiled at Draco when they had started the stupid Santa game… and was Potter blushing a little? 

“I had – nevermind, it’s not important. You clearly have things to do,” Potter said, looking away from Draco. “See you around.” 

Draco frowned as he watched Harry walk back to his desk. Potter was certainly acting weird, and Draco would definitely have been interested in knowing why, if he didn’t have so many other things he had to do. The most important being Potter’s present. He typed his password and logged into his email account. On the screen it said, _You have one new mail!_

Colin had been quiet during Draco and Harry’s exchange, but now he let out a groan. “You didn’t pick the package up?” he asked. 

“What?” Draco said, confused. “You mean Potter’s gift? Where was I supposed to pick it up? I thought they would bring it to my house.”

“You didn’t get a notification by mail? I don’t mean email, the normal Muggle mail. They always send a notification when your package arrives, and you have to go pick it up from the post office,” Colin said, desperately. “I guess I should’ve told you.” 

“Of course you should’ve told me! I always throw all the Muggle mail away,” Draco nearly screamed. “All I ever get are Muggle advertisements, I don’t even check them anymore!” 

Colin looked miserable. Draco took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. 

“So, what do we do now?” he said after a while. “Surely they can send it to me again? I mean, I paid for it and everything.” 

“Possibly, but it won’t get here for tomorrow. Muggle mail is too slow.” 

Draco had to fight the urge to hex Colin right then and there. How could he have trusted that idiot to help him? He could already imagine Pansy’s face when he told her all about this. She would say, “ _I told you never to get help from a Gryffindor…_ ”. 

Draco stared at the screen in front of him, trying to think of a solution, but couldn’t come up with anything. The eBay account of the seller from whom they had ordered the Game Boy was open in front of him. Colin had explained that because the Game Boy was something that wasn’t currently being sold in the Muggle shops, they had to order it from a seller who was specialized in items from past decades. Draco would’ve never said it to Colin, but he did think that the Muggle market place that worked through the little machines and allowed you to buy basically anything you wanted without leaving the comfort of your home was quite clever. 

“What are these?” Draco asked, pointing at the comments shown on the screen.

“That’s the feedback the seller gets from his customers,” Colin explained. “All positive, I see.” 

“Well, not anymore,” Draco said, and started typing. He was really starting to get the hang of how this Muggle system worked. 

“It’s not really the seller’s fault you didn’t pick up the package,” Colin pointed out, in vain. 

“And now I just press _Enter_ , isn’t that right?” 

It might’ve been Draco’s first time using eBay, but he knew how businesses worked and he was clever enough to realize that feedback mattered. That’s why he knew that if someone with only positive feedback suddenly had all their feedback turn negative, that would be very bad for their business. And they would do anything to get their business running again. Thankfully, Draco was very skilled with nonverbal spells, so Colin didn’t notice what Draco was exactly doing to the seller’s account. 

“Are you done already?” Colin asked, irritated. Draco clicked on the little X on the right top of the screen and got up. If nothing else, at least he had kept his dignity. Nobody messed with Draco Malfoy. 

 

**Part 6.**

When Draco woke up the next morning, he decided that he wouldn’t go to work. The Secret Santas would be revealed today, and despite Draco’s best efforts at blackmailing, Potter’s gift hadn’t arrived last night. Draco simply couldn’t go – everyone would think that he was a self-centered prick who just hadn’t made the effort to get something nice for his colleague. They might even think that he hadn’t got anything because he didn’t like Potter, and then they would like Draco even less. They might still think that if he didn’t show up, but at least he could make an excuse, say that he had been ill or something. Draco spent the first two hours of his morning in bed, reading the _Prophet_ in bed and using the summoning charm to get himself some coffee. It was half past ten when he finally got out. 

It was a bright, pale December morning, the air looked crispy behind the frozen window. Draco loved his own space: his penthouse in the heart of London was definitely a welcome change to the life in the Malfoy mansion, where he had spent most of his life. But it was mornings like these when he sometimes felt a longing for something, someone, he could share them with. The penthouse was big enough for two, and although Draco’s friends visited and Pansy, especially, hung around a lot, it wasn’t exactly the same as it would be to live with someone. Or that’s what Draco thought – he didn’t really have much experience of serious relationships. All he had ever had were casual dates and nightly encounters with strangers. 

Draco was so absorbed in his thoughts that he startled when he heard a knock on the door. For a second he thought of ignoring it, because no one ever knocked at his door – he didn’t know any Muggles and all the witches and wizards used the Floo – but in the end he decided to go to the door. There was a middle aged Muggle man holding a package. 

“Draco Malfoy?” he said. “This is for you. Urgent delivery,” he added, when Draco nodded, handing the package over. “Sign this, please.” 

The deliveryman was gone and Draco was left alone standing at the door, holding the box. There was an envelope on top. He put the box down and opened the envelope. The short note said, “ _Here’s your order, you lunatic hacker. Next time, try picking up your package on time, will you? Now, please, undo whatever it is you did to my account – nobody on eBay has 1749 comments of negative feedback. I just got blocked from the site. Merry Christmas to you, too._ ”

Draco grinned widely. He had succeeded! Now he just had to get the gift to Potter. They had probably already given the presents, but he might still make it to the office before lunch time. Draco was in such a hurry that he was already out the door when he remembered that he hadn’t even showered. He was already on his way though, and he didn’t want to turn back. He figured he could just drop the present at the office and come back home to properly groom. 

It seemed that everyone in London was doing their last minute Christmas shopping that morning. It took Draco forever to get to the nearest apparition spot. When he was finally at the Ministry it was already lunch hour. He jogged to the Auror Department. At first glance, the office seemed empty, but then he saw that someone was standing near his desk. 

It was Harry Potter. 

Draco slowed down, unsure of what to do. What was Potter doing alone at the office? Where was everyone else? Before he could decide what his next action would be, Harry turned around. 

“Malfoy,” he said, his face looking partly delighted, partly reserved. 

“Potter,” Draco said, out of breath, because he had come half running.

They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. “Where is everybody?” Draco said, finally. 

“They all went out for lunch.” 

“What are you still doing here then?” Draco said, a little harshly. 

“Well, we revealed everyone’s Santas right before lunch, and since I’m yours – and I suppose you’re mine – I couldn’t give my gift to anyone, and I didn’t get anything from anyone. So I thought I’d just hang around here for a while and wait to see if you’d show up – Ron’s Secret Santa was that curly-haired girl he’s been eyeing, so they went out to lunch together, and I didn’t really have anyone to have lunch with…”

“You’re my Secret Santa?” Draco said, astounded. He had been so concerned with Potter’s gift that he had completely forgotten he was getting something from someone as well. He hadn’t even written any wish list. “That’s quite a coincidence, isn’t it? I mean, me being yours, and you being mine.”

“Yes, well, I thought you knew, because why else would I come by your desk like I did the other day? And the stocking was enchanted, remember.” Harry said. Draco tried to think what he could mean by that but didn’t quite get it.

“Anyway, here’s your gift,” Harry blurted, and handed Draco a present that was wrapped clumsily in dark green paper. Draco realized that he had been in such a hurry that he hadn’t wrapped Harry’s present at all. It was still in the worn-out cardboard box he had received it in. 

“Here’s yours,” he muttered, slightly embarrassed by the whole thing. “I hope you enjoy it because I had to go through a real ordeal to get it.”

“Well, getting you a present wasn’t any easier, because someone decided to not write a wish list at all,” Harry remarked sarcastically.

Both men opened their presents in silence. Draco’s present was a book called _The History of Magical Objects: From Antique to Contemporary_. He held the book in his lap, not knowing what to say. 

“I just thought – I think you were very talented in repairing that vanishing cabinet in our sixth year, so I thought enchanted and hexed objects might be something you’re interested in. And knowing how to identify them might be useful for the work as an Auror as well.” Harry bit his lip, looking a bit unsure of how Draco would react. 

“Thank you,” Draco said expressionlessly. He wanted to say something else too, but he wasn’t sure what exactly, or how to say it. There was this weird feeling in the pit of his stomach he couldn’t verbalise. How could Potter know so well what he liked, how could he know it better than his own family and friends?

Harry had got his present open now too, and to Draco’s annoyance he burst into laughter. “You seriously got me a Game Boy! I only meant it as a joke,” Harry said, gasping for air. 

“How the hell was I supposed to know it was a joke?” Draco exclaimed, irritated. “I know next to nothing about Muggle things.”

“Because I also said _Joking, just get me anything_?”

Harry had a point, but Draco wasn’t going to give him the validation. 

“Well, I hope you’re happy now that I went through so much trouble to get you something you don’t even want, you prick. I should’ve known it was exactly something you would –”

Draco couldn’t finish his sentence because Potter had apparently finally gone completely insane. He took a firm grasp of Draco’s waist, pushed him against the nearest desk and pressed his lips against Draco’s. Draco felt Potter’s stubble rough against his cheek and his lips firm and soft at the same time. Potter’s kiss was long and deep, and his hands were moving around Draco’s waist and hips. An electric, tingling feeling ran through Draco’s body and he realized his hands were intertwined with Potter’s hair without him consciously putting them there. When Potter let go of him he felt breathless and flushed. 

“What the hell was that?” Draco said, trying to sound angry but not quite managing. Without a second thought, he almost violently pulled Harry back for another kiss. He hit his hip on his desk quite hard when they stumbled against each other, but he didn’t care. He let his hands slide down to Harry’s hips and felt Harry hold his back tight as his lips made their way down to Harry’s neck. They were still holding each other when a purple interdepartmental memo flew against Draco’s back. Draco folded it open and Harry looked over his shoulder to read it too. It said “ _Mr. Draco Malfoy aka the username theblondpeacock, please report immediately to the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office on Level 2. You are being accused of hexing 1749 comments of feedback on eBay with the intention of sabotaging a Muggle’s business._ ”

“I guess that’s part of the explanation of how you got my present,” Harry said, grinning. “But don’t worry, we’re going to figure this out. I know people from that Office. You might get a small penalty, but that’s it.” He paused and looked at Draco pensively. “Do you want to have some lunch before we report you?” 

“Definitely, I’m starving.” Draco said, with a relief. 

“Let’s go then, Peacock.”

”Don’t call me that,” Draco muttered, but he wasn’t actually offended. On the contrary, he was feeling quite excellent. This might turn out to be a fine Christmas Eve after all.


End file.
